The Registry is the permanent administrative secretariat of the Court. It is accountable to the Court alone. It is headed by a Registrar, assisted by a Deputy-Registrar.

Since the Court is both a court of justice and an international organization, the Registry’s tasks are not only those of a service helping in the administration of justice - with sovereign States as litigants - but also those of an international secretariat. Its activities are both judicial and diplomatic, as well as administrative.

Around 125 people, holding permanent, fixed or short-term contracts, currently work in the Registry.

The Registry is divided into the following departments and divisions:

• The Office of the Registrar
  • the Department of Legal Matters;
  • the Department of Linguistic Matters;
  • the Information Department;
  • the Finance Division;
  • the Administrative and Personnel Division.
• The Office of the Deputy-Registrar
  • the Publishing Division;
  • the Documents Division (Library of the Court);
  • the Archives, Indexing and Distribution Division;
  • the Information and Communications Technology Division;
  • the Security and General Assistance Division.
• The Office of the President
• The Offices of Members of the Court

All officials take an oath of loyalty and discretion on commencing their duties. Essentially, they enjoy the same privileges and immunities as members of comparable rank of diplomatic missions in The Hague. They are subject to Staff Regulations, which are virtually identical to the United Nations Staff Regulations, and to Instructions for the Registry. Their conditions of employment, salaries and pension rights are the same as those of United Nations officials of the equivalent category and grade; the costs are borne by the United Nations.